Darkness Becomes Her
by Erin Cooper
Summary: Ember was always...different, so say. But she never knew why. Now she's on her way to discovering the truth, even though it may not be pleasent.
1. Reader's Warning

** If you are reading this, please destroy this journal. Once you have read about who I am and what I've done, you will be in grave danger. All the things I've seen and known will never leave you once you know and you'll be hunted down by those unseen. **

** In case you ignore my warning, know that I can't tell who we are or where we've been…it would only put us in even more danger than we're in already. The names of everyone have been changed for our own protection. Please, don't try to seek us out; the consequences are far too great.**

**Don't say I didn't warn you.**


	2. Odd Things

The soft, chilling breeze blew around me, lifting my long raven hair into the air. I hid in the dark shadows of the night, watching silently. In my sights across the street at the center of the city park is a young couple along with their child playing on a large swing set. Laughing happily as they played with the child, they were unaware of someone watching their every move. A frown played across my lips as the mother kissed her son on the head then smiled lovingly at him.

I watched as the mother and father exchanged loving glances then a kiss before continuing to play with the child. They were an ideal family, something I've always wanted ever since I was little. Most families want nothing to do with each other, but they don't know what they're missing out on. Parents that watch over you, siblings that look up to you, and grandparents that share their wisdom with you; a loving family.

But I've always known what I was missing, having grown up in an orphanage. There were no records as to whom my mother or father was or were I had come from. The only thing they had was a letter that one of the workers found with me that held my name, age, and a plea asking that I de taken care of. Nothing else. I was never adopted because of how…special I was. Odd things that I had caused had always happened and taken away the chance of having the family I always hoped for.

So I lived there, that is until it burned down to the ground when I was six. I was the only survivor, the only one left untouched by the unforgiving flames. There was question weather I had started the fire that took the lives of many, people debated it on the news and every talk shown on television. But I was later found innocent from the lack of evidence they needed to condemn me. Little did the ones who pleaded my innocence know the truth that really was.

I was then put into a foster family after being let go. The first two weeks were what I shall always remember as the best weeks of my life. For the first time in the six years I had lived, I had finally had a family. But then things started to happen, bad things that I had hoped stayed behind in the ashes of the orphanage.

It wasn't long after the odd things started to happen before my family thought I was a monster and tried to do away from me. First, they tried to slit my wrists and drain both my blood and life out, an act that could be easily covered up. But when it didn't work and I still lived, they tried to drown me in our swimming pool. Just as before, it didn't work and I lived.

Then they tried to starve me, locking me in the laundry room for five days. But even that failed to kill me. Every day for three weeks, they tried everything they could think of to kill me, but nothing worked. For those three weeks, I went through excruciating pain. It wasn't just physical pain, caused by them trying to end my life, but also the pain of being betrayed by the ones I thought loved me, hated for what I was, and feared for what I might become.

Ever since the first time they tried to kill me, they made me stay in the laundry room, locking the door tight as soon as I walked in. I had no light, food, water, nor blankets to fend off the bitter cold at night. Every night I would cry myself to sleep until my tears dried up. Then I would just sit on the freezing ground in the dark shivering silently as I asked the same question over and over again in my head.

_Why me?_

On the dawn of the fourth week, my foster mother went crazy, the realization that she couldn't kill me making her snap. In her crazed rage, she tried to corner me in the laundry room and behead me with a butcher knife. I escaped the room and ran, a scared, hurt child, through the house. The neighbor soon heard my shrieks of terror and saw me running out of the house from my foster mother.

The police came in mere seconds, and took my foster parents away as I was rushed to the hospital. They couldn't find anything wrong with me, so I was sent to counseling. Again, I was discussed on television, many remembering the fire that ended many lives but spared mine. Some, like before, called me the antichrist, evil incarnate, the devil's child. Others found it a miracle of God. After I proved that I was sane to the councilors, I was sent to another foster home.

My new family knew what had happened and promised I would be safe with them, that no harm would come to me ever again. But they didn't keep their promise; they turned on me in two weeks time, just like my first family had.

When I was taken from them, I was sent to another family. Then another. And another. Always another. I spent two years going from family to family, being hurt again and again. After my eleventh foster family, I ran before the police could take me. They would just send me to another family if I stayed. So I ran away from it all and never looked back.

All the horrid memories, the pain, the hatred, and the fear were put in the far corners of my mind, left to be forgotten. But they were never really forgotten, no matter how hard I tried to forget it all. How could someone forget horrors such as the ones that were my life?

The high-pitched laughter of the delighted child brought me back to the present. I looked back to the family to see that they were leaving. My gaze followed them, the child on his father's shoulders, the mother holding hands with her husband. They looked so happy it almost seemed unreal, fake, impossible. But I knew that it was very much real, just not for me. There was nothing like that for me out there.

Sadness filled me and I felt a tear slide down my cheek. Wiping it away quickly, I forced the feeling deep inside me where I couldn't feel it. That's what I do with all my emotions; bottle them up inside. I couldn't let something as silly as emotions come over me like this, to cloud my thoughts, hide what was important from my view. It was pointless to feel.

Once they disappeared from my sight, I walked across the street through the park they were just at moments before. I walked by the swing set, the wind making the chains creak eerily as I passed. Dark clouds covered the full moon and stars, blocking out all natural light, leaving the old, dim lamps to light my way. From the thickness of the clouds, I could tell that it would soon rain.

The place I was headed stood in the woods behind the large cemetery across the park. It was an old abandoned mansion with large, beautiful overgrown gardens. All the old, worn furniture were still in place, left undisturbed for years. Clothing still hung in the closets and folded inside the fancy dressers of each room. Oil paintings hung on the walls, some I'm sure could be worth much money. There were also boxes that still held money, jeweler, important documents, and other things kept for sentimental value.

I had found the house when I was twelve after leaving the last one I occupied. At every house I lived in, odd things would begin to happen again. People that lived close by would start to take notice and I'd eventually have to leave before I was found. But no one ventured far into these woods where I now live so I don't have to worry about someone finding my house or notice the odd things.

Not far up ahead I could see the front gates of the cemetery with two large oaks growing on either side before it. As I got closer to the gates, it grew darker from the lack of light. Soon, I was shrouded in comfortable darkness as I walked between the rows of tombstones. Silently, I passed a couple leaning on a tombstone kissing. Not looking at them to avoid the sadness I knew would come from the sight, I walked on quickly.

Since it wasn't a large cemetery, it didn't take long to reach the back fence. I walked alongside it, looking for the oldest tombstone that had sunk halfway into the ground. Once I spotted it, I jumped over the fence and walked straight into the woods. Pushing overhanging branches out of me way and stepping over protruding tree roots, I walked in the direction of where the house stood.

Deer rushed away out of sight upon hearing my approach, thinking I was a predator. Birds called out to one another in the trees, having been woken up by the sound of my boots crushing fallen, dead branches. With each step there was a loud _snap_ that would give away my location. It's impossible to walk through these woods and not make a single sound.

Suddenly, all sound ceased, leaving me in complete silence. I froze where I stood as the air around me grew deathly cold, the breeze picking up and whipping my long hair around wildly. Taking notice of the hairs on the back of my neck standing on edge, I continued to walk calmly as though nothing was wrong but paid close attention to everything around me, my senses heightened as I went. Looking out the corner of my eyes, I watched as shadows danced beyond the trees.

Up ahead, I could make out the outline of the house between the trees. Quickening my pace, I broke through the tree line and entered the front garden. Me footsteps echoed in the silence as I passed statues of beautiful women, all of which had vines growing around them. The thorns of overgrown rose bushes pricked me lightly as I went by. Following the weaving stone walk, I came to the large fountain with stone benches circling it that marked the middle of the garden.

The water that was trapped in it stood still, the purple and pink flowers sitting on top. As I passed, I watched as the water turned to ice before my eyes, covering the flowers in frost. Staying perfectly calm, I looked around the garden as I got closer to the house. All around me were dead, frost bitten flower bushes and statues. Frost covered everything in sight.

Calmly, I walked on as dead leaves swirled around me. Once I reached the front steps, I went inside and closed the door behind me. Lighting the candle I kept with a box of matches near the door, I held it as I walked up the staircase and down the hall to my room. Setting the candle on my nightstand, I lit three more that sat on my nightstand. Tossing the used matched into the waist basket, I turned to the closet to get out my night clothes.

The house had no electricity or running water so I had candles along with a box of matches in every room. Since there was no way I could store perishable foods here, I had to go into town everyday. I couldn't go to the local store to get my food, people would notice me and some will wonder where I come from. So I resort to stealing. Once the stores are closed, I break in and get what I need. It's not honest but it's what I need to do to survive.

Suddenly, a blast of cold air came into the room, blowing out the candles. Turning around I saw that before me stood a large figure. By the shape and size of it, I could tell it wasn't human. Moonlight slipped into the room between the curtains, letting me see the figure for what it was. Before me stood a naga, a creature that was half man half snake. I looked him over, studying my enemy carefully.

The naga's face was handsome; pale, flawless skin, shoulder length brown hair that looked soft to the touch, and golden snake eyes that looked beautiful instead of scary as one would imagine them being. He looked kind and caring, as though he could do no harm. His torso was bare, showing his muscles. Beginning at the end of his torso was a large, black snake tail that coiled around him.

"Hello, Ember," he said, voice a hiss in the darkness.

Despite the hiss, his voice sounded soft and loving. But things are not always what they appear to be and can be very deceiving. I can't trust anyone, especially those sent by this 'Lord'.

"Leave me be, naga," I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

He looked me up and down slowly before speaking.

"Oh please, call me Gabriel," he said.

"Why are you here, _Gabriel_?" I asked, edging towards the door.

"My Lord has asked that you come with me," he replied, ignoring the harsh way I said his name and mirroring my retreat.

"Well you can tell him I said I won't," I retorted, reaching for the knife I had strapped to my calf on my right leg.

Before I could wrap my fingers around the familiar hilt, something cold wrapped itself around my ankles and made its way up my legs, covering the knife. I looked down to see that it was the naga's tail that now held me in a tight grip. My hands quickly tried to pry his tail off of me, but my attempts were in vain. Soon, my arms were held against my sides and I was wrapped in an iron grip in his long tail up to my elbows.

Looking back to Gabriel, I saw that he now stood directly in front of me. I struggled again, but, as before, it was no use.

"Oh, but you will," he said, eyes locked on mine in a hypnotizing gaze as he slither towards me.

I knew what he was doing, he was taking control of my mind. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't resist it. He was going to get his way and there was nothing I could do about it. My mind grew fuzzy as the seconds flew by, making it harder to reason. Seeing that I was now under his control he came forward, a breath taking smile dancing on his lips.

Despite all my reasoning, I smiled in return then took a step towards him followed by another. When we were face to face, he put his hands on my hips, bringing me closer to him until our chests touched. I didn't resistance as he held my face gently and looked into my eyes. His forked tongue slipped out between his lips and ran it along my jaw line, making me shiver.

"You're even more beautiful than I imagined, Ember," he groaned in my ear, making my heart race.

My name sounded amazing coming from his lips. I gasped softly when he ran a finger slowly down my arm, causing my body to tingle. With a warm smile, he lowered his face to my neck and started trailing soft, delicate kisses down my skin, trying to cover as much space as possible. I let out a pained gasp as he nipped, sharp fangs piercing the skin.

Apologetically, he ran tongue over the small wounds and numbing the pain. Warm hands wrapped around my hips, pulling me even closer. Gabriel alternated between light kisses and caressing kisses as he slowly made his way up to my jaw.

I felt my breath quicken when he began kissing the corner of my mouth teasingly. Growing impatient, I crushed our lips together in a lust filled kiss. Gabriel moved his lips against mine in a desire filled kiss as he held my face in his hands. He then licked my bottom lip, silently asking for access, and I parted my lips slightly. Our tongues fought a battle for dominance with him winning when he roughly pushed his forked tongue into my mouth.

Our tongues darted playfully against one another then moved in unison as I drew my hands up into his soft hair, knotting my fingers in it. He then bit on my bottom lip, his sharp fangs piercing the skin, and sucked on it enticingly, causing me to moan. Needing more contact, I wrapped my arms around his neck and lifted a leg to wrap around his waist. Immediately moving his hands from my waist, he pulled me up and held me from the bottom of my thighs as I wrapped my legs around his waist.

Turning around, he moved us to the bed then laid me down on my back. He hovered over me, turning his head to deepen the kiss. Then we broke the kiss, gasping for breath for a moment. Once our breathing steadied, he placed a hand on my cheek gently and kissed me, lust filled eyes locked on mine.

"I need you, Ember," he breathed, running a hand through my hair and kissing me lightly on the lips.

"I need you, too, Gabriel," I replied.

He then pulled my shirt off and tossed it across the room. I reached down and undid the button on my pants as he unclasped my bra. Without hesitation, I flashed out my dagger that I kept under the hem of my pants and jammed it under the naga's ribcage. His fingers froze where they were on the clasp of my bra and looking at me, expression full of shock. Looking at the dagger piercing his skin and embedding itself into his chest, he watched as dark blood oozed and dripped onto the pale skin of my chest.

His long tail coiled around me tightly but I didn't worry about it, he'd be dead soon enough.

"H-How?" he asked, looking up at me with wide, bewildered eyes.

"That's for me to know and you to never find out," I answered.

He coughed and specs of blood fell on his paling lips then smiled down at me.

"C-Clever girl. I w-will be b-back," he said then laughed, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth onto me.

His laughter then turned to more coughs then spasms. Soon, he lay still on the bed next to me. I pulled his tail from around me and stood unfazed at the side of the bed as he suddenly burst into flames and disappeared, leaving nothing but his spilt blood on my skin and the taste in my mouth as evidence that he was ever there.

Not wasting a single second, I picked my shirt up from off the floor where Gabriel had thrown it and pulled it back on. I then gathered my things; an old backpack in which I stuffed canned foods, my only change of clothes, pair of boots, knives, and bottles of water. Going into the next room, I plucked the box of valuable objects off the dresser where it sat. without a single look around, I left the house and never looked back.

I was on the move again because of the odd things.


	3. AN

I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long and also took down a few of my other stories, there have been many things going on which took up my time. Now that things are settling down again, and hopefully won't come back for a long while, I will continue with all of my stories.

**Thank you so much to all who have read and reviewed. If you haven't reviewed, please don't be shy, I like hearing your comments. Again I am sorry for not updating.**


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